Commercial Truck Maintenance

While your commercial truck is under warranty or a special maintenance program there isn’t really to much to worry about. It’s pretty straightforward. Like a car, you schedule your next service appointment and bring your truck in. Your local dealer pretty much takes care of the rest, but what about after the maintenance plan expires.
Now you’re on your own. Business is booming and bringing the truck in for maintenance becomes cumbersome. There are deadlines to meet and deliveries to make. There are a few things you, as a truck owner can do to help keep your truck healthy and on the road running efficiently.

• First, check all of the warning and information labels that are placed on the dashboard, in the door jam and in a few other locations on your truck. These are placed on your vehicle by the manufacturer and are helpful in knowing what needs to be done.
• Second, check fluid levels. There are reservoirs with fill levels that are easily accessible and a quick check can help to make sure you don’t find yourself on the road and running out of some important fluid that helps your truck run optimally. Most important are Fuel, Oil, Water and DEF fluid.
• Third, top off any fluids that need to be filled and/or replace any dirty, contaminated fluids. Remember, the fill levels are on the reservoir. Pay attention to these and only use the recommended products/brands (these can be found on the labels mentioned earlier.

We came across an excellent video that covers all of this and more. This will help keep your Mitsubishi Fuso Truck running at peak performance and will help you reduce downtime.

SUMMER MAINTENANCE TIPS BOUGHT TO YOU BY ISUZU COMMERCIAL TRUCKS
It has been a long and cold winter. Your Isuzu-built vehicle is one tough truck, but even the toughest truck needs some attention. The pot holes may have knocked your front end out of alignment, you may need new tires or a rotation, the fuel water separator may be filled with moisture, the windshield solvent may be out and you do not know what condition the hoses and belts are in! Below are a few more preventative maintenance tips that can help keep your truck operating efficiently through the summer.

ANTIFREEZE
Antifreeze is normally associated with winter, but it is equally important during the heat of summer. Even if your vehicle runs in cooler climates the mixture between antifreeze and water is normally a 50/50 ratio. This will also protect the engine during the winter months. In fact, it is recommended that the radiator be flushed every 24 months to prevent corrosion.

AIR FILTER
A clean air filter is one of those items that is often overlooked. On your Isuzu truck, the air cleaner is easy to access and easy to replace. In fact, it only takes a couple of minutes but a clean filter can help improve your fuel mileage and keep your engine running at peak performance.

TIRE SAFETY
When the thunderstorms hit and the rain sweeps across the road, nothing is more important than matched tread, enough tread and proper inflation. When we do a preventive maintenance service, we not only check the pressure, but evaluate your tires and make recommendations. Summer heat from the pavement can cause havoc just as much as under inflated, low tread depth, or non matched tread during a rain storm. Switching to all-season […]

Hot weather is already upon some parts of the country. The heat of summer can be as hard on your trucks as the freezing temperatures of winter. Yet some fleets don’t have specific maintenance set up for warmer weather. If you haven’t prepared your trucks for the heat, now is the time to bring them in for their summer maintenance service.

Here are some key components and systems that need additional attention in hot weather.

Cooling system: Start with checking antifreeze concentration levels. If the antifreeze-to-water ratio is off, the cooling system will not operate efficiently or may even fail in warm weather. Inspect the radiator mounts, fan shrouds and fan clutch as well. Basic maintenance of the cooling module should include a thorough pressure wash of the radiator/charger air cooler/air conditioning condenser from the engine side, pushing the debris out the front of the cores. With the engine off and key stowed away to avoid an inopportune start up, work from the top down, and get the pressure washer into the upper and lower corners behind the fan shroud. Be careful to not bend the fan blades with the wash wand or to nick the cooling fins.

Air conditioning system: Check for leaks and for state of charge. If you hear noise coming from the blower motor, it may be time to replace it. Check for refrigerant leaks. Pay special attention to hose, fittings and bend, and flex points. Make sure the condenser is clean and free of debris. Examine the filters to make sure they’re not plugged. Given today’s driver shortage, you can’t afford not to have a fully functioning air conditioning system. If the A/C fails, […]